Unpredictable
by AsianTwinkie1
Summary: "You just killed a man, Jace! A living, breathing man," Clary yelled, frazzled at what she had just seen. "It was worth it," he said in a low voice. He wouldn't meet her eye when he said it. "What?" "If i didn't kill him, he would've killed you."
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! This is my first fanfiction and I hope you guys like this. So here you go...**

* * *

_The small red head watched through the front window as her best friend, Jace Herondale, was being dragged outside by his father. Seeing Jace struggle in his father's grasp made her want to go outside and help but her brother's hand on her shoulder kept her inside. She didn't understand what was happening. Was Jace being punished? Where was he going? She could hear Jace's mother cry out for him and tried to go to him but the red heads mother held her back, shaking her head._

_Jace struggled harder, trying to get back to his mother but it was futile. His father grabbed him and put him inside the car. She could tell that he was trying to open the door but his father must have put the child's lock on. Jace's hands smacked against the window, calling out to his mom. Then his eyes moved to her and his hands lay against the window. _

_The red head ran from her brother's grasp and headed outside towards the car. She could hear her mother call for her but she didn't stop running. She could see Jace's dad get into the car and start the engine. She just needed to make it to the car and let him out so everything can be okay. But just as she made it to the car, it sped off. Jace looked through the back window and looked at her again; she could see the tears running down his cheeks just like the ones that were running down her cheeks._

* * *

Clary could still remember the day he left. When his parents divorced and his father dragged him into his car and drove to who knows where. That was the last time she saw her best friend. She was too young to know what happened, only seven years old, but she eventually learned that Stephen Herondale went behind Celine's back and got custody of Jace before she could.

There was never a time where Clary and Jace were separated till his father left with Jace. Clary could remember after Jace and his father left, she thought he would come back. So she sat next to the window and looked outside to see the black car come back but it never did. He was gone. He was ripped out of her life. After her mother told her that he was never coming back , she ran to her room and cried.

Ten years later, she was used to not seeing Jace anymore. Sometimes she would have flashbacks of him but that was it. She made new friends and moved on. Now, Clary was going to be a senior in high school. She wanted to finish school and go to college. Have a somewhat free life like Jonathan, her older brother.

Clary was on her laptop going through colleges to apply to when she heard her mother's happy yell of surprise. She made her way downstairs and saw her mother hug a familiar person.

"Jonathan," she said with a smile. Her older brother looked at her and opened his arms for her. "I'm still not giving you a hug," Clary said and leaned against the banister.

"I thought we were best friends?" Jonathan said with a pout. She scoffed at him and said, "I am not your friend."

"That's why you're my _best _friend. There's a difference, you know," Jonathan pointed out and Clary rolled her eyes.

"Clary, come down here and hug your brother," Jocelyn ordered and she huffed a sigh and trudged down the stairs into her brother's embrace. She made a noise when Jonathan gripped her into a bear hug and lifted her from the ground. "Jonathan, put me down," Clary demanded. Jonathan put his sister down and patted her head with a cheeky grin.

"What are you doing home anyway? Don't you have class?" Clary asked him.

"It was canceled since there was a chemical accident in the class before mine," Jonathan explained. "So, they said that class was canceled and since it was last class for the day, I thought I should visit my loving family."

"I wouldn't say loving," Clary muttered. Her mother shot her a glare. "I'm kidding."

"Well, how long can you stay?" Jocelyn asked.

"I can stay till seven. It's Matt's birthday today, some friends and I are throwing a party for him tonight," Jonathan said and their mother smiled. The front door opened to a man in a flannel shirt and bags of art supplies.

"Jonathan, long time, no see," Luke said as he tried to give Jonathan a decent hug. Jonathan gave a small laugh, "What's up with the bags?"

"They're for your sister and mother. Tons and tons of art supplies," Luke explained and gave the bags to Clary and Jocelyn.

"What do you have this poor man doing? You're going to end up throwing out his back with all these errands you have for him," Jonathan said.

"I'm not that old," Luke said to Jonathan and it managed to get a smile from Clary. Luke was an old family friend that was now engaged to their mother. After their father left them, he moved in to help with the bills and family care and somehow, he and their mother got engaged. "Thanks for getting the stuff we need, Luke," Clary said and started up the stairs but Luke stopped her.

"Before you go up there, there's something I need to tell you," Clary looked down at him.

"What is it?" Jocelyn said.

"Celine want us to come over this afternoon for a surprise of some sort. She seemed frazzled and excited," Luke said. Clary's brows furrowed. Now, why would Celine want them to come over? Was she getting remarried? Adopting? It was a mystery; Celine hardly invited anyone over to her house anymore. Clary couldn't blame her.

"Okay," Jocelyn was a bit hesitant but accepting the fact that her old friend wanted them to come over.

"I wonder what she wants," Jonathan thought out loud and then looked at his mother, "Do we have anything to eat?"

Clary scoffed, "How do you wonder what Celine wants then think of food?"

"It's a boy's instinct to always think of food. Food helps a boy grow," Jonathan said with a grin.

"Well you better eat a lot, with all that food you devour, hopefully you'll grow up this time," Clary said and ran back to her room.

* * *

"Always reading a book, huh," Clary looked up from her book and watched as her brother leaned against the door frame.

"It helps the brain grow you know. But you wouldn't know since you don't even _read_," Clary commented and he grinned.

"I do read," Jonathan said.

"Anything that has a half- naked girl on it, you do. But these kinds of books," she lifted her own book, "you don't read. But you didn't come up here to talk about books with me, no?"

"You're right, I just wanted to see how my little sister was doing," Jonathan sat on her bed and played with one of her pillows. He looked so much like their father: white-silver hair, dark eyes, she could see her father in him but Jonathan was nothing like their father. She knew Jonathan wouldn't leave them. "I'm doing fine. If this is about Jace again, you can get out."

"You just haven't been the same when he left. Now, you stay secluded in your room all day," He said in a soft voice.

"Is that supposed to be bad?" Clary asked.

"No but you should do something productive now and then," he suggested.

"I _do_, do productive things," Clary argued with him.

"Oh, really, like what?" Jonathan asked her.

"I go to the studio and go out with my friends," Clary said and he scoffed at her. "One, you're always at the studio and two, you only go out with your friends because they make you go with them. I know you, Clary," Jonathan said.

"Whatever," she muttered and went back to her book.

"Are you going to give me the silent treatment now?" Jonathan asked her. She ignored him. "Clary," he drew out her name. She paid no attention to him. "Claaaaaaaarrrrrrrryyyyy," he started to poke her. Clary didn't look at him. "Fine," he said and snatched her book away from her.

"Hey, give that back!" Clary yelled at him.

"You're gonna have to catch me first," Jonathan said and ran out the room. She followed and yelled, "You're so immature! Grow up for once!"

"I guess the food didn't work!" Jonathan yelled back. They were running around the living room now. Luke was in the arm chair watching with a bemused expression.

"Jonathan!" Clary tackled her brother from behind and started to tug her book. He wouldn't budge so she smacked him on the head repeatedly. While they wrestled, Jocelyn entered the room and looked at Luke.

"Do something about this," she pleaded.

"Kids," Luke's voice boomed over the noise the two siblings made. They both looked at him with wide eyes. "Don't get blood on the floor, it's gonna be hard to get it out if you do," he said to them and the two resumed to fight over the book.

"Luke," Jocelyn gave him a glare.

"Alright, alright," Luke stood up and made his ways towards the two. He grasped Clary around the waist and hauled her up and away from her brother. She gave a squeak of surprise. Jonathan stood up with the book in hand. "Now what's the problem?"

"He took my book," Clary fumed.

"Jonathan, give her the book, please," Luke said with a sigh. Jonathan handed the book to Clary and she snatched it from him.

"You two need to get it together. Be mature," Jocelyn said in a voice that made Jonathan finally shut his mouth. "Now, get it together, we're going to be going to over to Celine's in a bit."

"Yes, ma'am," Jonathan and Clary said at the same time. Clary went upstairs to her room to put her book back on her shelf. She brushed her fingers over the small photo that she framed years ago on her top shelf. It was her and Jace on the swings, smiling. She had never been that happy in her life but Jace had this happy energy that radiated off him when he was a kid. Clary sighed and looked away from the photo.

"Clary, let's go!" Clary heard her mother yell. "I'm coming!" She yelled back and raced downstairs before her mother could say anything else. When she made it downstairs, her family was waiting for her. The family left the house and made the short walk to Celine's house. Luke rang the doorbell and the door opened to Celine. Something that shocked Clary was that she had her hair blond hair down. Celine never had her hair down, only for special occasions.

"Jocelyn, Luke, you came," Celine said with a grin. They hugged and then she paid her attention to Jonathan and Clary. "And look at you two, you've grown up so fast!" She embraced the two in a loving hug. "Well, one of us did," I muttered.

"So, Celine, what's the occasion for us to come over?" Jocelyn asked.

"I think it's better to show you than tell you," Celine answered and stepped out of her house and closed the door. "We just have to wait."

"Wait for what?" Jonathan asked, a confused look crossed his face.

"For someone," Celine answered. _Someone,_ _maybe she is adopting a kid and is waiting for him or her to come,_ Clary thought.

They waited for some time now, Celine talking to Jocelyn and Luke while Jonathan pestered with his sister. Then Celine's face lit up and Clary followed her gaze. She was staring at a white car pulling up at the curb of Celine's house. Celine took a few steps forward.

A man came out of the driver's side and rounded the car to walk over to Celine.

"Are you Celine?" he asked and Celine nodded her head. He started to talk to her in a low voice. Clary tried to see through the car's window but it was blacked out. _Who's in there?_ Clary then saw Celine follow the man to the car and he opened the door. A figure came out and stood tall. It was a teenage boy. _Why would she adopt a teenager? I would've thought she would take a kid,_ Clary thought. Celine hugged the boy tightly and laughed with joy and the boy hugged her back. The boy towered over Celine, so he had to bend down a bit.

When they let go of each other, Celine gestured to Clary's family and he looked up. Her breath caught. His eyes were familiar. Gold. _Just like…_

"Oh, my goodness; is that…," Jocelyn trailed off. Those eyes that Clary knew so well; those same eyes that she saw so many times when she was a child.

He made his way towards them and hugged Jocelyn in a tight embrace and then shook Luke's hand. He turned to Jonathan and the two clasped hands and patted each other on the back. And then he turned to Clary, who was frozen on the spot. His eyes traveled over her and then rested on her eyes. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to give me a hug?" he asked her with a smile.

"Jace," she whispered and ran into his embrace.

* * *

**There you go, the first chapter. I hope this was okay for a first timer. Please tell me what you think of this and I'll see you guys next time. **


	2. Chapter 2

She didn't believe it. Jace couldn't be here. But the boy hugging her right now… Her mind could not process that this was Jace. The Jace that was her best friend when she was a child, the Jace that left with his father many years ago, the same Jace that was always there for her. Clary could feel tears prickle at her eyes and she tried her hardest to keep them at bay.

They pulled away from each other and Jace gave a scoff, "You know it's not healthy to keep tears in."

"Well, I don't want to break down in front of everyone," Clary whispered to him.

"Don't worry, I got you covered," he whispered back and then she let the tears fall. They ran down her face and he swiped them away. "It's been too long," he said to her.

"No duh, dummy," Clary laughed. Jace gave a smile and watched as Clary wiped her face, making sure there were no more tears.

"Is Clary crying?" she heard Jonathan say and then she heard him coming over to them. "Oh, no," Clary muttered.

"Do you need a big hug from your brother?" Jonathan addressed to her, a smirk playing on his lips. Clary glared at him, "I told you I'm not going to hug you."

"The hug from earlier says otherwise."

"That's because Mom made me hug you, this is different," Clary argued with him.

"C'mon, give him a hug," Jace ushered on. She gave him an exasperated look but all he did was smile back at her innocently. "No," she said sternly.

"I thought we were best friends?" Jonathan said with a pout.

She threw her hands up, "I am _not _going through this again, Jonathan."

"But _I'm _your best friend, so if I hug you with Jonathan…," Jace trailed off. He quickly wrapped his arms around her while Jonathan did the same. She squirmed around in the embrace from the two boys.

"Don't you feel the love, Clary?" Jace asked her.

"I know _I _do," Jonathan commented.

"All I feel is myself suffocating!" Clary grunted and they let go. "You two are unbelievable," she breathed out. The two boys laughed as she got herself settled. She remembered when she was a child, Jonathan and Jace would go pick on her till she was annoyed. That was the one thing that she hated most of all when she was a kid.

"Okay, you three, we're going to go out and eat for the celebration of Jace being back," Luke announced to them.

Jonathan checked the time on his phone and then nodded his head, "Okay, but I need to be back here in three hours though."

"Okay, now hop in the truck," Luke said while walking back into the house to get his keys. Jonathan, Clary, and Jace walked to the back of the truck and pulled themselves in the bed of the truck. The trucked purred when Luke put the key in and then they were off.

Everyone was quiet for a few minutes till Jonathan started to chant, "Road trip, road trip!" Jace started to join him. Bystanders that were walking around the streets glanced at them.

"It's not a road trip if the place that we're going to eat at is twenty minutes away," Clary commented.

"Don't mind her dull mood. It's a sign meaning that it might be the time of her month. If you know what I mean," Jonathan whispered loudly, making sure Clary heard what he said.

"Don't worry, I understand," Jace whispered back. She rolled her eyes. Clary watched as they made jokes to each other and couldn't help but view Jace's profile. His skin was darker, as if he got a tan, he was taller, like super tall that she had crane her neck to look him in the eyes, and he was fit. She could tell that he worked out a lot. The muscles on his arms were pronounced. She looked back up and saw that he was smirking at her.

Clary turned her head away; completely embarrassed that she had just been caught checking her best friend out. _Stupid! _Clary mentally yelled at herself.

When they made it to the restaurant, which was called Taki's, Jace walked beside Clary and muttered low enough that only she could hear, "You know staring at someone is rude. But it's fine with me, I don't blame you for checking me out since I'm good looking."

"Who knew you could grow an ego," Clary said.

"A lot of things changed."

"Apparently," Clary said and they all sat themselves down. Jocelyn suggested that the three teens could sit on a different booth so they could catch up. Celine seemed to hesitate at first but then agreed.

"So where'd you go?" Jonathan asked Jace.

Jace gave a sigh and took his time answering, "Well, after my dad dragged me away, he told me that we were going to start over. We were moving to New Jersey and my last name would be Lightwood, temporarily. I questioned him about it but he wouldn't give me an answer. When we reached Jersey, he already had a place for us to live in. He told me that his friend rearranged it for him and everything that was in the house, it was paid for. I had new clothes, books, and whatever a seven year old boy wanted."

He paused as a waitress came over to take their order. She gave Jace a flirtatious glance before leaving.

When she left, he started again, "The next day I met a family, the one that owned the name 'Lightwood'. They were nice but something was off but I never paid attention to it. I met the kids of the Lightwoods and found out that we were going to be 'relatives' from now on. That same night, I told my dad that I wanted to go back home. He practically dragged me by the ear to my new room and locked me inside. And from then, I was Jace Lightwood and not Jace Herondale."

"No offense to you but your dad's a bit…" Jonathan trailed off.

"Aggressive, strict, a bit psychotic?" Jace suggested; playing with his straw.

"I was going to say a douche bag but all those work, too."

Jace and Clary scoffed. "Only you could make a bad situation into a joke," Clary stated.

"I try," Jonathan shrugged.

"Anything happened after that?" Clary asked.

"No, just lived a totally normal life," Jace answered. "What about you two?"

"I'm in college so there's a lot of work to do there but overall it's fun. Especially the girls," Jonathan glanced at Jace who was grinning.

"You two are so naïve," she muttered. Their food arrived and they ate regularly, as if Jace had been with them forever. It was something that Clary cherished.

* * *

When they got back home, Jonathan said his goodbyes and jumped inside his car and drove away.

"I'll be inside later," Jace said to his mother and she nodded and went inside. Clary sat on the bench swing, waiting for Jace. He sat beside her and started to swing the bench but it didn't really work since his legs would get in the way.

"I missed you," Jace said. "Ever since I saw you outside that car door, I couldn't stop thinking of you."

"Me too; I would always sit near the window to see if you would come back but you never did," Clary said softly.

"Well, I'm back now, so you don't have to be sad anymore."

"Whoever said I was sad?" Clary looked at Jace with a smile.

"Who wouldn't miss this?" he gestured to himself and she chuckled at him.

"You're so different," Clary commented to him. She looked away, waiting for him to say something but he didn't. She glanced at him and saw that his concentration was on two men near a lamp post who appeared to be talking. "Jace?"

He snapped his attention back on her and gave her a sheepish grin, "Sorry."

"At least you're still the same weirdo," Clary laughed out.

"Enough about me, what about you? Little Clary's all grown up now," he said.

"Tell me something I don't know." Clary muttered

"Peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite," Jace said casually. Clary looked at him with an oblivious expression.

"What? I know things," he stated.

"Apparently you do."

"I also know that if you pour liquor on a scorpion that it would go mad and sting itself to death," Jace grinned.

"How could you say that with a smile? That's horrible," Clary exclaimed to him.

"Because I'm just wondering who's the sadist that discovered that," Jace started to rock the bench again. They stayed quiet for a long time but it was a comfortable silence. They watched the stars peeking out of the night sky, twinkling. She remembered when she was a kid, Jace would show her the constellations.

"_Right there, do you see it?" Jace pointed up at the night sky._

_Clary gasped, "I see it! Right there!" she said excitedly. The two were lying on a blanket outside the house. Jace had told her that his mother taught him where the constellations were and what they were called._

"_The stars are so pretty," Clary said softly._

"_Yeah, they're amazing. Now, look right there. The one that I'm going to show you is called Orion's Belt. Do you see that star?" Jace turned his head to see if she could spot the star he was pointing at._

_She shook her head._

"_You see that big bright star?" She nodded her head. "Okay, so there's another star that diagonal from it."_

"_Okay," she paid attention to what he was saying. When he told her that he wanted to show her the pictures in the sky, she thought he was joking but hearing him explain it to her, she believed him._

"Remember when you showed me the constellations?" Clary asked suddenly.

"Oh, yeah," Jace looked up at the night sky. Then he pointed and said, "There's the Big Dipper."

Clary looked up and pointed out another one, "There's Orion's Belt."

"Yeah," he sighed and looked at Clary. "Can I hug you?"

She looked at him in surprise. "I know I sound weird and stupid but…" he didn't finish.

"You know you can hug me any time you want, we're best friends, stupid," she pointed out and he laughed. He uut his arms around her and held her tightly as if she would slip out of his embrace. She hugged him back and instantly relaxed in his embrace. Her eyes wandered around and it landed on the two men near the lamp post. They were looking at them.

"Jace, those two men are looking at us," she whispered to him. He pulled back and looked behind him, his eyes furrowed.

"Ignore them," he suggested. "We should probably go back inside. Get some sleep for school or something."

"Jace, school doesn't start in another month," she said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, last year for me. Are you going to school, too?" she asked him.

"It depends on my mom, I guess," he said with his eyes looking at the ground. He then stood up and she followed. They walked up the path and turned to each other.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Jace said, his hands in his pockets. She nodded. He started to walk backwards slowly and said, "Goodnight Clary, I hope you dream of me tonight."

She gave him a scoff, "If I did that, you'll only give me nightmares."

He put his hand over his heart, "Now, now, no need to be hurtful."

"I'm just being honest," Clary called to him as she hopped up the steps.

"Whatever you say."

"Night Jace," she yelled and closed the door with a smile.

* * *

"Jace, there's something that you're not telling me," Celine said to her son.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Aren't we supposed to be happy that I'm back home?" Jace said, playing with a pen that was left on the coffee table.

"Yes, but I know you're father wouldn't just give me custody of you just like that," Celine started to play with the ends of her hair, something that Jace had noticed when he was young. Whenever she was stressed or nervous, she would fidget with her hair. Jace put the pen down and walked over to his mother. He took the hair from her fingers and brushed it out.

"I promise I'll tell you everything later but right now, I want to be happy and catch up with my mom," Jace put his arm around his mother's shoulder.

"Well, what do you want to know first?" she asked him.

"For one, I want to know who this Michael person is. He left a dozen voice mail's for you."

Celine could feel the blush spread throughout her cheeks.

Jace nodded and said, "I see, how about we sit down and talk about this 'Michael' guy, mom."

* * *

**Here you go. Sorry it took some time for me to get this chapter up. Thank you for all my reviewers! Thanks for the positive reviews. I'll try to get another chapter up this week but I can't make any promises. Sorry if this is short but at least it's something C: Till next time.**


	3. Chapter 3

When Clary woke up the next morning, she heard a sound at her window. She got off her bed and made her way towards the window and looked out. Down below stood Jace with a handful of small rocks in his hand. He gave her a grin when she opened the window.

"What the _hell_ are you doing, Jace?" she asked him. Clary watched as he took a small pebble and threw it in the air casually.

"Throwing rocks at your window; what did you think I was doing Clary?" he said to her with innocent eyes.

"Why are you throwing rocks at my window?"

"I just wanted to see if you're awake and from the looks of it," he looked at her current apparel, "you are."

"Have you ever thought of waking me up some other way, like, jeez, I don't know, calling me?" Clary glared at Jace.

"It doesn't matter anymore, you're awake, now get ready," he told her.

"Get ready for what?" she asked him, suspicious about him.

"We're going somewhere fun today," he answered.

"Oh, really?" her brows went up.

"Yes, Clarissa, now hurry up," he said a bit dramatically. "Or what?" Clary challenged him. His head tilted to the side a bit and, without warning, threw the handful of rocks up her way. She gave a gasp and ducked as bits of rocks came through the opening and landed on her bedroom floor.

She shot up and glared at Jace. "Are you going to get ready now or do I need to scout out more rocks to throw at you?" Jace asked her with a smirk.

"Fine, just don't throw anymore rocks at my window," she said and closed the window. Clary looked at her floor. _Now, how am I going to explain this to my mom?_

* * *

When Clary finished getting ready, she grabbed her small satchel that hung from the peg and walked downstairs.

"Hey, Clary, where are you going?" Luke asked from the living room.

"Out with Jace, he's taking me somewhere 'fun'," Clary said to him. He nodded and looked back down at the newspaper that was in his hands. "Okay, don't be out late."

"I won't, tell Mom where I went, okay?" she asked. Luke grunted in approval and she walked outside.

Jace was standing outside with his hands in his pockets. He gave her smile when she appeared outside. "Hey, you look good," he complimented, taking in Clary's fitted blue shirt and shorts.

"Thanks," she said and they stood there. Clary looked at him patiently. "What are you waiting for?" Clary asked.

"I expected a compliment from you since I already gave you a nice one," he said. Clary scoffed and said, "Are you serious?" he nodded and she shook her head.

Clary sighed but said, "You look good, too."

"Why thank you, Clary. You didn't have to say anything since I already know that I look good," Jace gave her a smirk.

"Yep, and you know it kills me a little inside whenever I compliment you," she muttered. Clary looked up and saw him with a cheeky smile. "You're a horrible person."

"I know, it keeps me awake at night," he said smoothly, "Now, let's go, we have a lot to do today," he grabbed her hand and led her to his house garage.

Yes, it was natural for Jace to hold Clary's hand. He always held her hand when they were young but this time, it felt different. His big calloused hands held her small, frail ones firmly but gently and it sent butterflies flying around in her stomach. Clary shook her head. _I am not attracted to Jace!_

Jace let go of her hand and opened the garage. A sleek black car was parked next to a red car, which was Celine's.

Clary looked at the black car, impressed, "When did you get this?"

"My mom bought it for me when I was with my dad. She thought that if I ever came back, I should have a car."

"How would she know you would come back?"

"I don't know; mother's instincts, I guess," he said and grabbed the keys from the hook and unlocked the car. The two of them opened the car door and settled themselves on the seats.

"So, are you going to tell me where we're going?" Clary asked curiously.

"We are going to Brighton Beach. I saw a flyer while I was coming back home that they set up a small fair, and today's the last day it opens," he said with a big smile.

"Dude, if you keep smiling like that, your face will freeze up," Clary stated.

"If my face did, at least it would freeze up to perfection," Jace commented back. She rolled her eyes. Jace started up the car and backed the car up, when it was out of the garage, he went outside to close the garage up and came back inside the car. He backed up again till he was on the street and put it in drive and drove off.

"Are you excited?" Jace asked Clary after some time in the car.

"Yup," Clary answered, she saw Jace glance at her.

"You don't look like it," he said and she looked at him.

"This is how I always look," Clary retorted.

"Exactly."

"Whatever," she said, "So, what are we going to do at the fair?"

"Well, we're going to go play the games their of course and I'm gonna whoop your ass in all of them," Jace said proudly.

"You don't think I can win?" she asked.

"To be honest, not a chance?" Jace said to her and turned his head to look at her.

"We'll just have to wait and see, won't we," Clary grinned and looked out the front window and gasped. "Jace, watch out!"

He looked forward and slammed on the brakes. A man was walking across the street that Jace and Clary were on. Just as the car had stopped just a few inches from the man ,Clary saw a flash appear and then disappear in her eyes.

The flash was from the camera that was in the man's hands. _I guess he's a photographer_. He must've hit the button by accident when he saw the car zooming towards him. The three of them were frozen, not knowing what to do.

It was Jace that decided to make a move first; he rolled down his window and spoke loud enough so that the man could hear him, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, it's my fault, should've looked where I was going. I'll just get out of your way," the man said and shuffled over to the sidewalk and walked away.

"Don't _ever_ look away from the road again," Clary said sternly.

"Sorry," Jace said and started driving again. Clary could feel her heart pounding in her chest; she closed her eyes and let out a breath. She opened them and again and looked at Jace. His jaw was clenched together tightly.

"It was an accident," Clary said softly.

"I know but that's not what I'm thinking about," He said tensely.

"What do you mean?"

"He saw us coming," Jace answered. Clary gave him a look. "Clary, what kind of person would act like that if they were going to get hit by a car by some careless teenager?"

"That guy that you almost ran over," she simply said but the look he gave her told Clary that he was in no joking mood.

"There's something up with that guy."

"You don't even know him, Jace," Clary looked out her window and before he could say something back, she cut him off, "We're supposed to have fun today, don't be in a bad mood."

Jace took his time answering her before saying, "Okay."

* * *

Carnival music blared from the speakers that were scattered around the beach. Booths held fun games with prizes hanging from hangers here and there. People were chattering loudly and having fun.

"What do you want to do first?" Clary turned to Jace. Jace surveyed the area before smirking.

"That one," Jace pointed to a booth with cans stacked up in a pyramid, waiting to be knocked down.

"Okay," Clary said and they made their way towards the booth. Jace took out two dollars from his pocket and gave it to the man running the game.

"I can pay for my own game you know," Clary said, a bit irritated.

"I'm just being a gentleman," Jace defended. She rolled her eyes. There were two sets for the both of them. They picked up a bean bag and started to chuck it at the cans. It only took Jace his third throw to knock all the cans down.

"Congratulations, you just earned yourself a prize!" the man yelled out a bit too loud and cheerful. He handed Jace a can and Jace gave fakest smile to the man she has ever seen. Jace clearly wasn't fond of the prize he had just received. He turned to Clary and said, "Who's the winner now?"

"Don't get your hopes up, there are more games that I can possibly beat you at."

"Well, I hope they have better prizes than this," he held up the can.

"What's in it?" Clary asked. Jace looked at the label and smiled. He opened the cap and turned the content at her and pushed down on the nozzle. Pink Silly String stuck to her as Jace sprayed the content around. "Jace!"

"Maybe this isn't as bad as I thought," Jace laughed and ran away from her. She couldn't help but smile and run after him.

* * *

They spent their time competing in games and laughing. Clary never laughed this much in her life, ever. But the only thing that bothered Clary was that he kept looking around as if someone were watching them. It annoyed and scared her. It was when they made their way to the photo booth that she confronted him about it.

"What are you looking for?"

"What're you talking about?" he raised a brow.

"You keep looking around the place every time we go to a booth, wanna explain why?" Clary crossed her arms.

"Don't worry about it," Jace said and she sighed.

"Fine," Clary grabbed his arm and dragged him inside the booth and closing the curtain. They sat together on the small bench. Clary tapped on the screen on what deal she wanted and how may photos she wanted.

"Why'd you put three copies?" Jace asked.

"I just want an extra just in case I lose it," Clary dug in her satchel for seven dollars but apparently Jace beat her to it by inserting his money in.

Clary groaned. "Stop that. Let me pay for something."

"You know, most girls would be grateful if a guy paid for them."

"Well, I'm not like most girls," Clary pouted. Jace chuckled.

"I know," he said and then pressed his lips to her cheek. Clary's face scrunched up in surprise when the picture was taken. They posed for each picture that was taken, having fun. At one point, Jace put his arm around her shoulders and tugged her close to him so her head lay on his shoulder. She gave a small, soft smile while he smiled, looking down at her. That was the last picture taken.

"We should do this more often," Jace suggested. Then his stomach growled.

"Yeah, now let's go get something to eat and this time _I'll_ pay for it, okay?" she said with a small glare. He nodded and they made their way out of the booth. Clary made the move to grab their photos but stopped short when she only had two.

"Where's the other one?" she asked.

"Don't know, maybe it malfunctioned or somebody could've took it," Jace said.

"Ugh," Clary said with disappointment.

"Hey, don't be upset, you won't lose this copy," Jace reassured.

"How do you know that?"

"Because I know you better than you know yourself. Now, c'mon, I'm starving," Jace said with enthusiasm and walked over to the food trucks. Clary looked around to see if someone was nearby that could've taken it but gave up and ran after Jace. Only if Clary would've looked harder at the people's faces, she would've recognized the same man that Jace had almost hit. In his hand clutched the third photo of Jace and Clary and in his pocket were the other photos that he had taken of them throughout the day.

* * *

Clary watched Jace as he scarfed down his food. Only Jace and Jonathan could make her feel disgusted whenever they ate.

"You disgust me, you know," Clary commented.

"And how so?" Jace asked with a mouth full of food. She cringed at the sight of it.

"Can you at least close your mouth when you eat?" she pleaded.

"Fine, is there anything else your heart desires?" Jace asked her still with food in his mouth.

"You could go drown yourself," Clary suggested, playing with her French fry.

"Hey, no negativity, it's bad for the soul," he said while drinking his soda.

"My soul's already black so I don't think it can get bad enough," she said and smiled. He smiled back at her and then looked over her shoulder. Clary turned around and saw him looking at a stranger with a, possibly, a friend sitting at a table behind her.

"Would you stop staring at people, Jace?" Clary asked him.

"Sorry," he said and looked at her again. Jace could tell that she felt a bit annoyed with him and then said, "Let's go play some more booths and we can head over to Coney Island and go on the Ferris Wheel."

Clary gave a small smile and said, "Okay."

The two of them threw away their trash and made their way over to the ring toss. It was a one player game and Jace pulled out a dollar and gave it to a man who gave him three rings. Clary watched as he threw the rings with ease and they landed on top of three separate bottles. She was impressed; it was nearly impossible to get all three rings to land on the bottle tops.

"That was impressive but you still only get one prize," the man said and took a random bear off the hook and handed it to Jace. It was the size of a child.

"You look so manly with a pink bear, Jace," Clary grinned.

"Why, I never knew a pink bear could bring out my sexiness," Jace said back and then handed it over to Clary.

"Aren't you going to keep it?"

"No, I won it for you. Let's just say it's a gift for my long absence," Jace put his hands in his pockets.

"Or because it's too girly for you?"

"That too, now how about we go to the Ferris Wheel?" he said and they walked the long way to the Ferris Wheel.

* * *

**So I'm just winging this chapter for tonight because it's been some time since I've updated and I was planning on updating again this week. I hope you guys like this and we're almost at the point where Jace kills a guy. Fun, right? Review please and I'll see you next time.**


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